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Month: December 2015

Here is a list of astronomical events for given month. Location dependent events listed here are visible from central Europe.

January 2016:

4 – The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks at 8:00 UT with a ZHR variable from 100-130 favouring North America. This shower has very narrow time of peak activity with more visible meteors than Perseids shower.

9 – Close conjunction between bright planets Saturn and Venus at 4:12 UT. They pass within 10 arcsec of each other. Event is easily observable within a field of view of a telescope with higher magnifications.

10 – Comet C/2013 US10 (Catalina) should be at its brightest, with magnitude of around +5.

The comet has passed perihelion on Nov. 15th and after that begun its climb into morning twilight. Catalina should be easily visible in ordinary binoculars. Watch for it to gradually brighten through the end of the year, peaking around magnitude +5.5 (just barely naked eye) in late December and early January, when it will be well-placed high in the northeastern sky.

Here are some key dates with celestial destiny for Comet US10 Catalina for the next few months:

7. December — Comet passes less than 5 degrees from the Venus and waning crescent Moon.

1. January — Comet passes less than 0.5 degree from the bright (0.04 magnitude) star Arcturus in Bootes.

12. January — Closest to Earth.

14., 15. January — Comet passes less than 1 degree from the bright star Alkaid in Ursa Major.

16. January — Comet passes less than 2 degrees from one of the brightest visible spiral galaxies M110.

17. January — Comet passes less than 3.5 degrees from the bright double star Mizar in Ursa Major.

The Geminids in 2015 are near optimal, with the Moon a waxing crescent in the night from Sunday to Monday December 14th, safely out of the way and 10% illuminated. The Geminids have a projected plateau of activity running from 1:00 UT to 23:00 UT on December 14th, with an expected maximum falling right around 12:00 UT.

Geminid, image taken in the morning of 13 December 2015Geminid, image taken in the morning of 13 December 2015Geminid, image taken in the morning of 13 December 2015